(from Lotus Press
Release) The new Lotus Elise probably has the lowest CO2 for
its performance for any gasoline high performance sportscar in the
world

The Lotus Elise revolutionised the sportscar market 14 years ago
when the small lightweight agile 2-seat mid engine sportscar was
introduced. By ensuring that the Elise stuck rigidly to Lotus’ core
values of performance through light weight, the Elise was able to
produce supercar performance with city car economy.

Making its debut at the 80th International Geneva Motorshow, the
2011 model year Lotus Elise introduces a number of changes and
improvements to maintain its class leading position.

For the 2011 model year, the Elise range will consist of the
following variants:

Key changes and improvements to
the whole of the 2011 model year Elise range

• New evolution body
design incorporating new front clamshell, rear bumper and engine
cover
• New all in one integrated headlights including LED day light
running lights and LED direction indicators
• Improved aerodynamics with a reduction in Cd by 4%, resulting
in better fuel economy
• New cast and forged wheels
• Vehicle warranty increased from 2 years to 3 years and 36, 000
miles

Additional changes for the 2011
model year entry level Lotus Elise

• New high
technology 1ZR-FAE 1.6 litre engine with Valvematic and Dual VVT-I
technology to optimise the performance and efficiency of the
engine
• Less than 155 g of CO2 per km (an improvement of over 13%
compared to the 2010 Elise S)*
• Combined fuel consumption 6.14 litres / 100 km (46 mpg)*
• New 6 speed close ratio gearbox
• Cruise control available as part of the Touring pack

The body – an evolution

The new 2011 model year
Elise range is on sale now and will be in showrooms from April 2010.
The body of the new 2011 model year Elise is an evolution of the
iconic Elise design, retaining the character and style, while
offering a more planted, purposeful stance and a pure, contemporary
look that links it to the Evora. As with all Lotus product the
design is an exciting blend of dramatic style and functional
efficiency.

The new Elise body has a
fresh sculptured front, including a new bumper, front clam and
access panel that combine to give the Elise a wider look with more
road presence.

At the rear of the car
the new engine has been encased by a distinctive “twin-spine” engine
cover whilst lower down a more aggressive diffuser is tightly
wrapped by an elegant new bumper design that now includes the rear
licence plate.

New headlamp units with
distinctively sculptured LED lighting guides (incorporating daytime
running lamps and direction indicators) give a contemporary twist to
this classic design. Elsewhere, the signature, Lotus “mouth” and
familiar sculptured forms have been sensitively refined to give a
crisper, more dynamic look. The repositioning of lamp functions has
enabled the creation of broad clean surface between the fenders
which combines with sleek corner intakes and prominent splitter
detail to give a broader more planted stance.

The theme of purity is
carried through to the cooling apertures that are efficiently
finished with a new lightweight aluminium mesh that gives the car a
classically sporting character.

The rear boot is now
opened from the cockpit rather than via a separate key operation.
The high quality feel of the Elise is continued throughout the car
with the Elise graphic incorporated into the new side LED direction
indicators, like those on the Evora.

The driving position,
from the perfectly positioned pedals and steering wheel, to the
comfortable and supportive seats with ProBax** technology means
that, like all Lotus cars, the driver becomes part of the car rather
than being just a passenger.

With the sleek new body
the aerodynamics have improved giving a reduction in the coefficient
of drag of 4%.

Finally, a choice of two
beautiful, light weight wheel designs are available; an incredibly
light forged wheel and a new cast wheel completes the picture for
this sensitive update of a Lotus Icon.

Additional changes to the 2011
model year Lotus Elise

The new 2011 model year
Elise has a number of additional changes and improvements, with the
installation of a new advanced 1.6 litre Valvematic engine meeting
EURO 5 regulations. This new engine is 200cc smaller than the
outgoing Elise S model and produces similar power (136 PS, 100 kW,
134 hp at 6800 rpm) with maximum torque of 160 Nm, 118 lbft at 4400
rpm, but offers a significant improvement to fuel economy of over
23%, to 6.14 litres / 100km (46 mpg)* and a reduction in CO2
emission by more than 13%*. This provides the new Lotus Elise with
the lowest CO2 per performance for any gasoline high performance
sportscar in the world. This high technology engine is mated to a
new 6-speed manual gearbox, providing closer and more performance
orientated ratios than the outgoing 5 speed box.

The 1.6 litre engine is
controlled via the bespoke Lotus T6 engine management system. Cruise
control is available on the Elise for the first time with the
controls present on a stalk located to the left of the steering
column.

New cast wheels have
been designed specifically for the Elise and the new optional forged
wheels weigh just 29.26 kg per set, 2.14 kg lighter than a set of
lightweight cast versions. Both are available in silver or black
colour.

Dany Bahar, Chief
Executive of Group Lotus said, “The Lotus Elise revolutionised the
sportscar when it was launched 14 years ago and now the Lotus Elise
has become greener, giving drivers access to class leading
performance with less guilt.”

Donato Coco, Director of
Design said, “The Elise is an iconic sportscar and it was important
that we did not complicate its design, so we made the car more pure
in its look, improved the aerodynamics, and gave it a more
contemporary look with high quality detailing.”

Paul Newsome, Director
of Lotus Product Engineering said, “We are always looking at ways of
keeping the Elise ahead of its peers and for the 2011 model year we
have improved efficiency without losing the innate fun that has made
the Elise legendary.”

Andreas Prillmann, Chief
Commercial Officer for Lotus Cars said, “In its 14 years of
production the Elise has accounted for 32% of all the 61 years of
Lotus production, illustrating how significant to the brand and well
loved it is. The 2011 model year Elise is greener, purer and more
desirable, making it even more relevant to today’s marketplace. The
new Elise underlines Lotus’ reputation as one of the most innovative
sports car manufacturers in the world.”

The Lotus Elise
introduces the new 1598 cm3, 1ZR-FAE engine, provided by Toyota. The
key to this engine’s performance and efficiency is the Valvematic
system (a variable valve lift mechanism), which is combined with the
dual VVT-i (Variable Valve Timing-intelligent). The engine
continuously controls intake valve opening/closing timing and the
intake valve lift to vary the volume of the intake airflow, giving
significant improvements in efficiency and fuel economy. This
ensures optimal performance based on the engines operational
condition, thus helping the Elise achieve both high fuel efficiency
and high performance.

First of all, the
maximum power output is achieved at near maximum revs (engine speed)
of 6800 rpm and maximum torque (a respectable 160 Nm, 118 lb.ft) is
reached at 4400 rpm. This gives a good combination of mid range pull
but also encourages the driver to rev the engine to the maximum
permitted engine speed of 7000 rpm (transient rev limit). Like all
Elise sportscars, there are three shift up lights, on the binnacle
cumulatively lighting when the driver is getting closer to the rev
limiter and when all three are illuminated, they flash to indicate
that the driver is almost on the rev limiter so time to change up a
gear!

The height of the engine
cover has been raised by 34mm to accommodate the taller 1ZR engine
compared to the previous 1ZZ engine from the outgoing model due, in
part, to the additional Valvematic technology included on the new
engine. This has given Lotus engineers an opportunity to subtly
redesign the rear engine cover to match the design theme from the
front and rear of the car.

Chassis

The Lotus Elise is built
around the revolutionary and award winning extruded and bonded
aluminium chassis, with a lightweight steel rear subframe. The
chassis weighs 68 kg (150 lbs) and has a stiffness of 9,800 Nm per
degree, giving a high level of control of the suspension. At the
rear, and also acting as a rear energy absorbing crash structure, a
lightweight steel subframe carries the engine and gearbox. At the
front, the radiator and key ancillaries are mounted into a high tech
composite energy absorbing crash structure that is both lightweight,
compact and over three times more energy absorbing than the
equivalent steel structure.

Ride and handling

The legendary Lotus ride
and handling gives a superb high performance, sporty drive, combined
with a compliant ride and progressive on limit handling, it makes
the Elise a car that demands to be driven. The entry level Lotus
Elise weighs 876 kg, making it one of the lightest fully homologated
sportscars in the world. This low weight translates into efficient
performance with minimal environmental impact in terms of emissions
and fuel consumption. The efficiency of the Elise structure means
that the 136 PS (100 kW, 134 hp) delivers phenomenal performance.
Few cars can match the delicacy and accuracy of the steering,
throttle and brakes of the Elise and all of these factors contribute
to the excellent driving experience of the Elise.

Safety

The Elise has high
performance AP Racing callipers at the front and Brembo callipers at
the rear linked to 282 mm vented and cross-drilled cast iron discs
to give excellent stopping power. The Elise comes as standard with a
track tuned ABS system that is designed to be unobtrusive under
normal driving conditions. This system is designed to be used on
track and has a high threshold, only intervening in emergencies. The
ABS system is linked to a lightweight pedal box with steel pedal
arms and extruded aluminium pads. This unit also has an electronic
(drive-by-wire) throttle for quick, smooth and more linear engine
response. The impressive braking coupled with excellent handling
gives good primary safety and the composite front crash structure
and rear crash protection offers efficient secondary safety. Driver
and passenger airbags and pre-tensioning seatbelt are standard on
all Elise models.

Prices will be announced
in March 2010.

*The Lotus Elise is currently undergoing EC Whole Vehicle Type
Approval and official fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures,
plus performance figures are not yet available. The official figures
for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions and performance will be
published on Group Lotus plc’s web site as soon as they become
available (www.grouplotus.com) or may be obtained from the PR
Department, Lotus Cars Limited, Potash Lane, Hethel, Norfolk, NR14
8EZ, UK.

**“ProBax™” seats

Introduced for 2006
Model Year Lotus Exige and Elise cars, ProBax™ seats are designed by
Lotus and specifically adapted and developed by NuBax. ProBax™ seats
help to significantly improve the postural position of the
occupant’s spine whilst seated compared to similar seat shells
without ProBax technology. This not only results in an improved
level of comfort, but also has significant medical benefits -
maintaining a natural curvature of the spine, and markedly improving
the body’s blood flow. Increased blood flow has been shown to
enhance response times, raise alertness levels and reduce the onset
of muscle fatigue. Tests on Lotus seats, with the new ProBax™
technology, have shown an improvement in blood flow of up to thirty
per cent over the pre-2006 Model Year Lotus seat. ENDS

About Lotus

The main operating
subsidiary of Group Lotus plc is Lotus Cars Ltd, which has two
operating divisions - Lotus Engineering and Lotus Cars. Lotus
Engineering is an internationally recognised automotive engineering
consultancy based in Norfolk, UK. Global facilities include those in
Michigan (USA), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), China and offices in
Germany and Japan, with rapid expansion in new territories such as
South East Asia.

Lotus Engineering provides comprehensive and versatile consultancy
services to many of the world's OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, offering
a full engineering service from initial concept and project design
through development and integration of the complete vehicle to meet
all worldwide markets and customers to full production. This
includes third party 'niche vehicle' engineering and manufacture
worldwide.

Lotus Cars builds world class, prestige, high performance sports
cars for sale in 37 countries. These include the iconic Lotus Elise,
the Exige, the 2-Eleven and Lotus’ latest model, the Lotus Evora.
Lotus is a global high-tech company, expanding rapidly and committed
to driving forward technology for both Lotus Cars and its
Engineering clients, spearheading research into such areas as
hybrids, electric vehicles and renewable fuels.